Why it’s better to work in photography projects

It’s time to stop thinking about the single image

When most people start off in photography, they have often never heard of photography projects. Instead, they are encouraged to create a great single image. I think that is the wrong approach. It means that we reject the majority of what we shoot, even if it contains interesting subject matter. This is because we are urged to look for the one “superstar” image that we can hang on our wall or, more likely, have on our screen saver.

Doug Chinnery has a really good analogy when it comes to thinking about our images. It doesn’t matter how good a vocal soloist is: they usually sound much better when they have the support of a range of other voices, even though the quality of those supporting voices may not match that of the soloist. Even without a soloist, one can put together a group of good singers that may not stand out individually but together they can create something truly beautiful and powerful.

It is worth thinking about photography in the same way. In a photography project we bring together a collection of images. They may not all be works that we would hang on their own on a wall. However, brought together in the right way they can create something far greater than the sum of their parts. They are also likely to communicate more to the viewer.

Why should we adopt photography projects?

A photographer that spends time making a photography project is more likely to create a deeper relationship with their subject matter. They are also more likely to find something interesting to portray about their subject. Having done so, they will feel a better sense of achievement from their photography.

Isn’t that so much better than a constant series of single visits or shoots to get “the shot”? Surely it is more satisfying than endlessly flitting between ideas, styles and images?

What is a photography project?

In its simplest form, a photography project is a series of images that have a relationship when brought together. They do not have to share the same style or subject but they should be based around a theme.

Some people spend years working on a major body of work. They are highly focused, concentrating on a single idea. That can seem a little daunting, and it doesn’t have to be like that. A photography project can be completed in half a day if you wish. But it can turn that half day from a random series of images into a piece of coherent work. It can make your time with your camera and your subject more focussed and more worthwhile.

Here are some examples of my photography projects

I made the images for my latest handmade book, Striations, in two half day sessions on the same beach, during a workshop with Paul Sanders and Adrian Beasley. Having spent some time to get to know the area where we were based, I decided to concentrate on the patterns and colours I was seeing in the stones. I also shot some images for a second book at the same time.

My book 1Point4 Miles was the culmination of a few months wandering round the same walk making images of what stood out to me. Spending time on this one walk allowed me to experiment with different ideas and themes before coming up with a (hopefully) coherent series of images that depicted how I saw the area.

I am now working on a new project, Dead Flowers In Vases. I think you can guess what the subject matter is! Most images are made at home on my iPhone. Photography projects don’t have to be complicated and don’t have to involve lots of travel. This project has taught me a lot about texture, tone and feeling. It’s a project I can pick up and put down as I feel like.

What’s the end point of a photography project?

Personally, I like to mark the end of a project with some form of bringing together of the images. I don’t want to leave them gathering digital dust in a forgotten folder in my online filing system. I’m going to discuss this more in next month’s blog when I explore how we output our work.

Why don’t you try your own photography project?

Not sure where to start? Here are three ideas to get you going:

- Look through your current work. Are there any themes or subjects you would like to spend more time on?

- Write down/journal some ideas for a project

- Ask someone to write down a theme for you. Spend half a day making a series of six images. Suddenly, you have completed your first project!

However you start on a project, I’d love to see what you’re working on!

How much work have you rejected in the past?

The relentless pursuit of the perfect image may mean that you have good work in your archives. Or you may have already sent it to the bin. These are the images that could say so much more in a photography project. It’s time to embrace the idea of a body of work.